Qiu Penglei, Liu Xingzhong, Wei Dongsheng
Department of Microbiology, College of Life Science, Key Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Technology of the Ministry of Education, Nankai University, Tianjin, China.
Microbiol Spectr. 2025 Sep 2;13(9):e0105125. doi: 10.1128/spectrum.01051-25. Epub 2025 Aug 7.
Mutualistic interactions between insects and fungi are pivotal in ecosystem dynamics, yet the underlying molecular mechanisms remain largely unexplored. This study investigates iron acquisition strategies of the mutualistic , revealing the involvement of mineral elements in insect-fungus symbiosis. Comparative transcriptomics of weevil-farming strain (WFS) and soil free-living strain (SFS) revealed distinct transcriptional profiles, with 4,357 upregulated genes in WFS. Enrichment analyses highlighted a significant upregulation of genes linked to oxidoreductase activity, iron and heme binding, with a notable prevalence of cytochrome P450 (CYP450). qRT-PCR confirmed differential expression of CYP450 and siderophore-related genes, indicating enhanced iron absorption in WFS. Comparative analysis of iron content further demonstrated significantly higher iron levels in WFS than in SFS and weevil host plant leaves, suggesting a nutritional adaptation for symbiotic lifestyle. These findings provide novel insights into the role of iron metabolism in insect-fungus mutualism, highlighting potential evolutionary mechanisms that bolster symbiotic fitness.IMPORTANCEUnraveling the complex interplay between insects and fungi is crucial for deciphering the intricate dynamics of ecosystems. In this study, a notable upregulation of genes associated with iron and heme binding, as well as a significant increase in iron content within WFS was revealed, suggesting a specialized adaptation strategy to enhance iron acquisition, potentially enabling the fungus to efficiently provide essential nutrients, including bioavailable iron, to weevil host. This research not only advances our understanding of the molecular mechanisms governing insect-fungus mutualism but also highlights the potential evolutionary mechanisms that bolster symbiotic fitness and contribute to the co-evolution of these interacting species.
昆虫与真菌之间的互利共生相互作用在生态系统动态中起着关键作用，但其潜在的分子机制在很大程度上仍未得到探索。本研究调查了这种互利共生关系中的铁获取策略，揭示了矿质元素在昆虫 - 真菌共生中的作用。对象鼻虫养殖菌株（WFS）和土壤自由生活菌株（SFS）的比较转录组学分析揭示了不同的转录谱，WFS中有4357个基因上调。富集分析突出显示了与氧化还原酶活性、铁和血红素结合相关的基因显著上调，细胞色素P450（CYP450）尤为普遍。qRT-PCR证实了CYP450和铁载体相关基因的差异表达，表明WFS中铁吸收增强。铁含量的比较分析进一步表明，WFS中的铁水平显著高于SFS和象鼻虫宿主植物叶片，这表明其对共生生活方式的营养适应性。这些发现为铁代谢在昆虫 - 真菌共生中的作用提供了新的见解，突出了增强共生适应性的潜在进化机制。重要性揭示昆虫与真菌之间复杂的相互作用对于解读生态系统的复杂动态至关重要。在本研究中，揭示了与铁和血红素结合相关的基因显著上调，以及WFS中铁含量的显著增加，这表明一种特殊的适应策略以增强铁的获取，可能使真菌能够有效地为象鼻虫宿主提供必需营养，包括生物可利用铁。这项研究不仅推进了我们对控制昆虫 - 真菌共生的分子机制的理解，还突出了增强共生适应性并促进这些相互作用物种共同进化的潜在进化机制。
